PM flayed for failing to address controversial police course for Chinese

People’s Party MP Sasinan Thamnithinan slammed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after she did not show up in Parliament to address questions from the opposition bench regarding a controversial police volunteer course for people from China.

Sasinan told reporters on Thursday that despite the police volunteer course gaining public attention, Paetongtarn did not attend Thursday’s House meeting to answer questions about the case.

Sasinan, a former human rights lawyer, said she was told the PM would send Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to respond to her interpellations, but no one was present.

Paetongtarn was in Phuket, while Phumtham was still in Bangkok on Thursday.

“I would like to call for urgent action [over this police volunteer course] before the situation gets worse. I want the government to give importance to this.

“I want the PM to be more determined and serious in taking action on this matter,” she said.

Siam University in Bangkok was accused of unlawfully operating a “police volunteer” training course, which features logos of the Central Investigation Bureau without permission. Participants, including people from China and Thais, needed to pay 38,000 baht registration fee.

According to police findings, the programme was organised by external parties in collaboration with officers from the Investigation Division of Metropolitan Police Bureau 3.

Li Ming Long, president of the Thai-China Business Union, and Dr Li Zhang, assistant president for International Affairs at Siam University – were charged under the Computer Crime Act for falsely advertising the course online.

The university denied involvement and claimed that it was the act of an individual. Investigations are still underway.

Sasinan said that she was “disappointed” that both the PM and Phumtham had stayed away, warning this issue would affect Thailand's image.

She added that there were likely more influential figures involved in this case.